The fifth annual Breaking Ground Monologues, held in Kimball Theatre from March 3 through 5, grappled with a multitude of thought-provoking and emotional topics, leaving a powerful impression on all who...

Touching on the weight extremes in our society and exploring the meaning of the word "normal" in regard to weight.

This week, Feb. 23–March 1, is National Eating Disorder Awareness Week. In the United States, 20 million women and 10 million men will suffer from a serious eating disorder. Eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of all psychiatric disorders. Many important issues have days or weeks dedicated to raising awareness, and sometimes I wonder what the point is. Why would you raise awareness about an issue for one day or week, and then tacitly ignore it with no follow up for the rest of the year? However, raising awareness for eating disorders is absolutely crucial, not because people have never heard of them, but because, like most psychological disorders, they’re surrounded by misconceptions and stigma.

Though the current “Information Age” has made communication easier and faster, our society still remains silent on some important issues, including mental illness. As a society, we focus so much on physical health, staying fit and eating a healthy diet. Yet we forget how to take care of the mind.

The  Pioneer  surveyed students about stress, coping behaviors, food and body image as part of the research process for  our article on eating disorders. One hundred ninety-two students responded (almost...